Weeder.



J. A. KRESS.

WBEDER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 5, 1914.

- Patented Mar. 16, 1915.

H .K M 6 AAA JACOB A. KRESS, OF

OI CANTON,

CANTOIT,. OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE VICTOR SPECIALTY COMPANY,

OHIO, A. CORPORATION OF OHIO.

wnenun.

itaz zwzm a mom;- z I Be it known 'that'I, JAcoB A. Knees, a

' citizen of the United States, residing at Canton, in the county of Starkand State of Ohio, have invented a' new; and useful Weeder, of which the following is 'a specification. I v p p My invention relates to improvements in w'eeders and more especially to hand operated tools of this character which are adapted to be used for removing weeds from small gardens or lawns. 4 I p z p The object of my invention is'to prov de a weeder of the character referred to which isadapted tobe slid into the earth along side of the roots of a plant desired to be uprooted and which will entirely remove the roots of the plant from the ground with very little eflort by the person operating the device.

Another object is to provide such' a device composed of a single sheet of metal bent into the desired form which will be simple and inexpensive to manufacture and at the same time strong and durable.

With these objects in View the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts, hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportions, size and minor details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved weeder showing how the same is inserted into the ground to uproot a plant. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same. Fig. 3 is a blank from which the tool is formed.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several viewsof the drawings.

Referring first to Fig. 3 of the drawing which shows the blank from which the tool is formed the numeral 1 indicates a substantially rectangular portion which is afterward formed into a split sleeve adapted to fit upon a suitable wooden handle. The numeral 2 indicates the body portion of the tool from which centrally extends the elongated slightly tapered tongue 3, provided with the annular notch 4 at its forward end Specification of Letters mm. k i iucatin met June 5, 1914. Serial in. 543,130.

- from which;

Patented Mar. 16, 1915.

the blade of the device is formed. Extending forwardly from said body portion 2 upon each side of the tongue 3 s a pair of elongated tangs 5 from which the fulcrum of the device is formed.

The tool comprises the cylindrical split sleeve 6 which is formed from the rectangular portion 1 of the blank above mentioned, and the body portion of the tool comprises the central curved portion 7 and the outwardly M extending oppositely disposed flanges 8' located upon each side of said curvedfpor'tion. The blade 9 is a continuation of the curved portion of the body of the tool, being itself slightly curved in cross section for the-purpose of strengthening and also to allow it to be more readily inserted into the earth, said blade being curved outwardly as shown and provided with the sharpened teeth 10 which are formed by means of the notch 4 being provided in the extremity of the blade as hereinbefore described. T he fulcrums 11 are formed from the tangs 5 on the-blank being bent backwardly and curved as shown more clearly in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Strengthening ribs 12am formed upon the fulcrums 11. A suitable wooden handle 13 may be inserted Within the split sleeve 6.

The entire body of the tool ,is composed of sheet steel preferably and the tangs 11 which form the fulcrums are spring tempered in order that they may have a slight resiliency. In using the tool for uprooting weeds or plants the blade 9 is first inserted into the ground at a point near the roots of the plant, the tool being pushed down into the ground until the fulcrums 11 come into contact with the surface of the earth as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The handle 13 of the tool is then moved slightly in a direction away from the plant rocking the tool upon the fulcrums 11, the blade 9 being moved through the earth so that the teeth 10 will engage the lower portion of the roots of the plant, the spring fulcrums 11 affordlng a slight springing motion to the tool. Thus it is not necessary to rock the tool until the blade 9 is brought to the surface of the ground but a quick movement of the .tool as above explained will bring the teeth 10 into contact with the root of the plant and by reason of the spring quality of the fulcrums a slight extra pressure upon the handle 13 will loosen the roots to such an extent that the plant maybe easily pulled from-- the ground taking the entire root out of the earth. The sprin fulcrums Wlll cause the tool to assume su stantially the same position shown in Fig. 1 after the pressure has been released from the handle so that the tool may be easily extracted from the ground. With the use of this tool aperson is enabled to quickly and easily uproot weeds from, a

lawn without disfiguring. the surface of the lawn.- By this construct on the blade is permitted to be thrust into the ground tothe bottom of the roots thus preventing ,an breaking of the roots within the grou'n Although the drawings and abovespecification disclose the best mode in which I have contemplated embodying my invention I desire to be not limited to the details'of such disclosure, for, in the further practical application of my invention, many changes I in form and construction may be made,.as

adapted to fit upon a handle, an outwardly curved rounded blade extending centrally from said body. portion and a pa r of tangs located one at each side of'said blade and bent backwardtoward said sleeve, said tan provided with strengthening beads throug out their len th.

3. An;art1cle of the character described comprising a body having a central channel portion, a split sleeve adapted to fit upon a andle, an outwardly curved channeled blade extending from said channel portion,

and a pair of tan s located one at each side of said blade an bent backward in an arc toward said sleeve, said tangs provided Islirpluglrout their lengths with strengthening ea s.

- 4. A tool of the character described formed of a single sheet of inetahjthe blank form of which comprises a nectangular ,.portion connected'to the body'portion by a restricted neck, a slightly tapered tongue extended outwardly from the center of the body portion and rovided with anotch in: its outer extremity, and elongated tangs extended outwardly from the ody portion one at each side of ,the tongue.

5. An :rticlej of the, character described comprising a body. ortion, a sleeve adapted to fit u on' hau' e, an outwardl curved rounded blade extending centrally om said body portion and ,a pair of spring fulcrums projecting; iron! thebodyportion one at each side ofsaid blade and bent backward toward said sleeve,

In testimony that I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

, lso a. Knnss] Witnesses:

JOHN H.B1sn'or, Sfnvm Beno t" claim the above, I 

